Importing Products of Animal Origin (POAO) for Human Consumption from GB to NI

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Under the Windsor Framework Agreement, Northern Ireland remains in the same Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) zone as the EU. Therefore, any consignments of animal products entering NI from GB after 1st January 2021 are treated as entering the EU SPS zone from a Third Country.

EU Guidance for Products of Animal Origin (POAO) for human consumption is available at Animal products: movements within the Union and entry into the EU | food.ec.europa.eu.

Should you have further queries on the GB export processes, you should contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on exports@apha.gov.uk.

In case of any other queries, please contact DAERA Trade Imports on daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk 028 90524588

SPS Inspection Facility Details

Belfast Port belfast.portal@daera-ni.gov.uk  028 90 378555

Larne Port larne.portal@daera-ni.gov.uk  028 28 260021

Warrenpoint Port  warrenpoint.portal@daera-ni.gov.uk  028 41 753503

Northern Ireland Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Inspection Facilities listings | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk)

Please select the relevant  link below to view the applicable requirements.

Types of Import

Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS)

The UK government and the EU have agreed the Windsor Framework.

Further guidance on movement of retail goods from GB to NI under NIRMS is available at Moving animals and goods to Northern Ireland.

Products Of Animal Origin (POAO) - Conforming with EU entry conditions, eligible for EU market

POAO: CN Code of Product and EHC

The Combined Nomenclature (CN) is the EU's eight-digit coding system, comprising the Harmonised System (HS) codes with further EU subdivisions

You can look up CN Commodity Codes via the Northern Ireland online Tariff System at Look up commodity codes, import duties, taxes and controls | trade-tariff.service.gov.uk.

You should contact customs in case you have any queries about the CN commodity code for your product. Contact details are available at Ask HMRC for help classifying your goods | gov.uk.

Further clarification and EU entry controls on CN codes is available in EU Regulation Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/632 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630

A list of available and agreed GB EHCs and their Guidance Notes for movement of goods from GB to NI is available at Find an export health certificate | gov.uk.

Before moving goods, the person responsible for the consignments must:

  • Ensure that they are registered on TRACES-NT (the EU’s Trade Control and Expert System). Guidance available at TRACES NT Documentation / Getting started | webgate.ec.europa.eu.
  • Check that the goods are labelled as required for export to the EU.
  • Obtain copies of export health certificates (EHCs) to accompany all consignments after they have been signed by officials in Great Britain.
  • At least 24 hours before arrival, create Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs) on TRACES NT. It is advised to upload scanned copies in colour of the EHCs and any supporting documents such as catch certificates, organic certificates of inspection and marketing standards certificates of conformity. This will pre-notify DAERA of the arrival of the consignments and will allow for remote documentary checks to be carried out. Please note: the document(s) may be too large to be sent as one file. DAERA will therefore accept them if sent in two parts.
  • Where applicable, ensure that the seal is correctly recorded on the EHCs and matching CHEDs.

Exemption from Border Control Post (BCP) checks

Some products, when fully compliant with entry requirements, are exempt from BCP controls, however, some will still be subject to a DAERA import licence in order to be exempt from BCP controls.

Details are available in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2122 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630

Additional requirements

Where applicable, ensure the consignment meets: marketing standards requirements and that all organic goods have a certificate of inspection (COI).

Where required ensure the consignment meets the Food Standards Agency labelling requirements which are available at Guidance on health and identification marks that apply from 1 January 2024 | food.gov.uk.

Ensure the product enters at a seaport or airport Point of Entry (PoE) that has EU designation for that product.

Ensure that the seal number is recorded on the EHCs and CHEDs.

Ensure that any wood packaging material moving from GB to NI is ISPM15 compliant (heat treated and stamped).

Follow the groupage guidance for consignments being moved under the groupage scheme.

Find out what customs procedures apply and avail, if required, of the free Trader Support Service which provides assistance with completing customs declarations.  If needed you can get an EORI Number EORI | gov.uk.

Finally make sure the consignment adheres to Rules of Origin guidance.

Composite Products

Definition Composite products are foodstuffs containing both products of plant origin and processed products of animal origin and the addition of the plant product has modified the main characteristics of the final product (not just for specific characteristics or technical reasons)

Categories of Composite Products and their movement requirements can all be found on the Table of Composite Products.

  • Non-Shelf Stable
  • Shelf Stable (Containing colostrum-based products or meat products except gelatine, collagen or highly refined products derived from meat)
  • Shelf Stable (Not containing colostrum-based products or meat products except gelatine, collagen or highly refined products derived from meat

Guidance on origin requirements of the components of the composite products, and associated triangular trade rules are available on GB-NI Triangular Trade.

Annex of products exempted from BCP Checks can be found List of composite products exempted from official controls at border control posts (Article 3) | eur-lex.europa.eu/. Please note these products still require a private attestation at the time of placing on the market. 

The relevant EHC can be found at Export shelf-stable composite products to the European Union and Northern Ireland: importer declaration 8352 | gov.uk.

The private attestation can be found at Export shelf-stable composite products to the European Union and Northern Ireland: importer declaration 8352 | gov.uk.

For more information and frequently asked questions visit Animal Health Regulations Information and Import of Composite Products Into the Eu - Questions & Answers | food.ec.europa.eu.

Special rules on vitamin D contained within composite products is available at Food Supplements Europe Guidelines relating to the manufacturing and imports of food supplements containing products of animal origin, with a particular focus on Vitamin D3 | foodsupplementseurope.org.

Useful links

Compound Products

Definition Products containing two or more POAO and which cannot be classified as a composite. For example, a seafood mix (when a Fishery and Mollusc EHC would be required)

  • Items with two POAO packaged in separate packages inside a main package, e.g. beef burger with cheese (if the burger is uncooked separate meat and dairy EHCs are required) where the component parts are packaged separately.
  • This document available on Procedure for completing a CHED on TRACES NT when a product uses more than one EHC explains how Points of Entry (POE) in Northern Ireland would like Operators to enter consignment details on a single CHED P and associated schedule when the consignment requires one or more EHC.

Aquaculture (Mussels, Oysters, Fish Eggs) and Fish Products

Guidance available here:

Triangular Trade

Triangular trade is when a product is imported from one country (a third country or an EU country) into Great Britain (GB) and re-exported to Northern Ireland (NI).

The rules for Triangular Trade movements of Products of Animal Origin are available on GB-NI Triangular Trade.

GB issued guidance is available at APHA Briefing Note 16/22 | apha.defra.gov.uk.

Personal Imports

The products you can bring into Northern Ireland (NI) as part of personal luggage depends on where you are travelling from, rather than where the products were produced or packaged. There is a weight limit depending on type of product and origin.

Detailed guidance is available at the links below:

Samples of Products of Animal Origin (POAO) and of Composite Products (CP) for product analysis and quality testing, including organoleptic analysis

DAERA may exempt samples of products of animal origin and of composite products for product analysis and quality testing, including organoleptic analysis, from official controls at border control posts provided they are accompanied by a valid DAERA issued import authorisation (import licence).

To apply for authorisation to import research/testing samples of POAO for human consumption you should complete the application form for imports of Animal Products available on pplication form for imports of Laboratory Animals, Animal products and by-products and return this via email to daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk ensuring you provide as much information as possible about the consignment. If accepted, an import licence will be issued authorising the movement which will outline the specific import requirements. 

Return of Northern Ireland origin consignments rejected by the Competent Authority of destination in a Third Country, including GB

To apply for authorisation to return an NI Origin consignment rejected by the competent authority in Great Britain. You should complete the application form for imports of Animal Products available on Application form for imports of Laboratory Animals, Animal products and by-products and return this via email to daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk ensuring you provide as much information as possible about the consignment including the reason for rejection.

If accepted an import licence will be issued authorising the movement which will outline the specific import requirements. 

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